If I Won 355 Million Dollars...

That's what the Illinois lottery is at today- JP's office is pooling to buy tickets (b/c investment bankers are in desperate need of such pocket change) and he's buying a few for us (I have imposed a limit of 5). JP is the gambler and financial optimist of our little family- I'm the realist/pessimist and would prefer our money to be in a box under our bed, or, I suppose, in a safe, interest bearing account of some kind. I have a deep mistrust of the stock market and hate that we have money there- maybe its because I only realized what the stock market was when the dot com bubble burst, but I regard it warily.

Anyway, this made me think- if we were to be the sole winners of that ridiculous amount of money, what would we do? Would I quit law school? Would JP quit his job? Would he still go to business school? I have friends who insist the only happiness in life is to be independently wealthy- no need for grad school, loans, jobs, etc. But I'm really not sure that much in our life would change. I'd still finish law school- maybe take a year off without the pressure of repaying my loans, but I'm not even sure I'd do that. I pretty much want it over with. I would be free to do any kind of legal work I want, but I think I'd still start at The Firm. I like the people and I could get an idea of what types of law are out there. I can't imagine what I'd do without a job- a purpose to my day. It could be part time ,volunteer legal work, but it has to be something. The biggest changes for me would be the little extras- a new (4-wheel drive) car, a bigger apartment, giving money to my family, a personal chef!, vacations without a strict budget, etc.

I think more would change for JP. He'd definitely leave his job- he has enjoyed it, but the long hours and often tedious work got old a while ago, and it would be nice for him to have time with the baby (and me!). I'm sure he'd still get his MBA, but I don't think he'd actually go into the business world to use it. He's dream in life is to own a cattle ranch (yes, I married a nice boy from upper crust Washington, D.C. and it turns out he's a Republican who voted for Bush and wants to live on a cattle ranch) and I guess now he could do that. The financial freedom would mean a lot more to him- there's so much he wants to do: invent things, start his own company, and ride horses. He loves the stock market and would have lots of fun researching and investing his own millions. I would still prefer it to be in a box under the bed.

I would enjoy being able to give lots of money to our favorite charities and I could buy all the maternity clothes I wanted from Isabella Oliver, but I think I'd still be a lawyer in some capacity. I suppose that means I've chosen the right field...